Catalina crusin'
David & chardy Lang (chrdvd@gte.net)
Wed, 14 Jul 1999 21:58:13 -0700
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Our adventure started Saturday morning. Departure was to be 6am but everyone
was running late (including me). Driving into San Pedro I see a Potter 19
getting off the freeway and barreling down the road, Obviously thinking he
was going to miss everyone. It was Michael Smith with his Wife. Little did
he know we would not actually depart until 8am. Eric Zilbert lost a part to
his antenna on the trip and was frantically running around San Pedro looking
for a Marine store to purchase the needed part. The store did not open until
eight so we decided the p15's would leave first since it was sure the p19's
would catch up. We had a meeting and decided we were going to abandon Cat
harbor for the Isthmus (a difference of 23 miles to 40 miles) We also
decided to head straight toward the island and tack when the wind picked up.
Right out of Angles Gate we got some wind so we set the sails and turned off
the motor. It was a false start though,due to the winds around Point Fermin.
The wind drifted off to about 3 to 5 knots. We kept sailing averaging about
2 to 3 mph according to the GPS. Right off Mike Brownlee in the p15 had
radio problems-- he could transmit but not receive. Later Michael Smith also
had a problem with his radio, so communication was between Bob Campell in a
p15, myself in a P15 and Eric Zilbert in a p19. Right off I know I was going
to be left behind by the two other p15's.They were flying genoas and I was
using a woking jib. Sure enough they started pulling away and the P19's
started pulling up behind me. Pretty soon they also started pulling away and
I was left to contemplate the beautiful surroundings. The wind started
picking up around eleven and we started doing some real sailing. We were
sailing at a close reach trying to make the Isthmus. I could make out the
sails of Eric, Bob and Mike Brownlee in Flipper. Michael Smith and Ralph
were out of sight. After a while, I decided to tack since it didn't look
like we were going to make it with the current and the wind against us.
Pretty soon I see Bob and Eric do the same. We tacked for about 30 minutes
and then headed for the Isthmus again. The wind was really picking up now
and we had to pay attention. This went on for several hours, having to tack
3 times. The only sail I can see now is Bob Campbells in His P15. By radio
contact we figure he is more than two miles ahead of me. All of a sudden His
boat is no longer there. Just gone! I know he didn't get out of my vision
because he was there one minute, gone the next. I was concerned so I started
sailing towards the spot I last saw him. In about 5 minutes I see a small
object in the water but no sails and no mast. I am not sure if its him or
not so I head on toward the object trying to look through my binoculars ( a
joke in a bouncing boat). I finally get close enough to see it is in fact
Bobs boat, mastless in a bouncing rolling sea.
More to come, Dave.